NF Spearhead and other new toys

 I got some new toys.  I got a helicopter that I'll talk about completely separate another time.  I also got 3 more Rock "Range" Vipers, a Wild Bill (2000), and Night Force Spearhead.

Spearhead is a figure that is on my small GIJoe team, already.  You can read some of my original thoughts on Spearhead here.  Of course, keeping my small team small is a goal of mine, as tempting, and easy as it would be, to add more of anything at this point.  Night Force Spearhead will be replacing Spearhead (1988), an easy choice.

Spearhead is still a mostly blank slate character, but still hasn't gotten a lot of use.  That's why I wanted to hunt down this Night Force version.   The figure you see above may very well be the MOST expensive figure I've ever bought.  Easily in the top five, and I can only think of two other figures that are even within $10 from what I paid for this (Skymate and Ambush) right now.  Of course, it was with the funds that come from selling off a huge portion of ones collection, so not as painful, but still it feels like trading 20 figures for 1.

Only thing I can really complain about is that there is some loose wobble on the figures head (is this possibly a normal thing on this figure?).   Otherwise, I'm really happy to add the more subdued colors of Night Force Spearhead to my small team.  With his new uniform, Spearhead will really fit in next to my teams other members like Low Light and Beachhead.

The accessory compliment is the same as his original 1988 version, except all in black mostly.  The helmet surprised me in hand for the Night Force version as it has the camo paint still present instead of all one gray solid color, something that I was not expecting.   The Night Force machete also feels a little more thin, more flexible than the 1988 machete.

There is just a slight difference in the hair color from each figure, too.  The Night Force helmet doesn't feel like it has as tight of a snap-on fit as the 1988 helmet, and I also really dig the darker brown vest, and the black detail on the ammo belt.  This detail really stands out.

I never disliked the 1988 figures orange, but I am glad that there is some green-ish color on the Night Force Spearhead.  The belt detail really stands out, where it rather blended into the overall figure on the 1988 version.

Coming soon.

 

The weak links?

With my small GIJoe team of only 28 members (a self-imposed rule), the picks that resulted were made from a combination of decisions.  The figure sculpt itself, accessories, the character, the primary and secondary specialties, my own personal history and experience with the figure/ characters, certain "real-life" military aspects represented over the years of ARAH, and other things among it all.

One part of that "real-life" aspect that was part of the GIJoe team was that the only Coast Guard member on the GIJoe team was Cutter.  (I wanted to have Marine, Navy, Air Force each represented.)  Originally, Cutter did not make my team..., well, he made my "B" team.  In the end at that time, some figures were swapped into my 28-man "A" team selections, but Cutter did not make it (it was close).  I think it was the removal of the WHALE  that led me to let Cutter go at that time.  Plus, my "security forces" were no longer, and the D.E.F. was more or less broken up in the process, but most importantly my "sea squad" was all but wholly decimated.

However, Cutter is a figure/ character from my original back-in-the-day days, as well as still being the only Coast Guard originating GIJoe member.  Those are two criteria that weigh strong with me, but this figure of Cutter is going to be a little altered so he isn't stuck in his PFD and can more effectively fit in.    So, Cutter is back, .... but someone has to leave.

And that someone is going to be Steamroller.  I lose my "local" character in a sense, but since I am not using "big" armor in my motor pool any more, I think a "heavy equipment operator" and "armor" character is not going to be a versatile character figure for the team (despite it being a good figure). I think Heavy Duty and Wild Card can supplant these skills.

Plus,  I'm going to reverse on my no water adventures decision just a little, but on a smaller scale.  No WHALE, but the smaller craft, the Devilfish will fit alongside my other smaller vehicles.  It can actually be towed by them, too.  (And it can be deployed anywhere via my imaginary C-130.)



I am also considering  bringing back some other characters as I've re-evaluated my motor pool.  This is why the post is called the "weak links." 

Right now, and this can all change, these are the three figures I feel are the weakest.

Repeater is decent figure, but sentiment may be the thing keeping him enlisted.  I have my Roadblock figure that I totally dig, as well as my Rock & Roll figure that originally moved Repeater to a side seat back in the day.    I've already questioned whether I need three machine gunners, too.


Hit & Run is a GIJoe figure I got from my "best bud" back in the day.  I think the "need" of an infantry trooper is possibly ably filled by Recoil and Big Ben.  Even with the small team approach, Hit & Run just hasn't been a "go-to" guy.


Downtown is there, too.  In some ways, I wanted to emulate that whole "original 13" GIJoe team line up in my picks.   Like Infantry, Commando, Ranger, Machine Gunner, etc.    Well, Downtown IS Mortar Soldier.  Downtown has a great sculpt form, it is a really solid figure, too.  I just haven't used the guy, but I do think he might be the stronger of the three in that he IS the mortar guy.   Since my team isn't using big artillery these days, I think Downtown can bring in some extra help in that respect, but he is on the "weak links" list here because I haven't felt him shine in many other ways as a character.



Who would you pick to leave out of these three as the weakest link?

BF2K: return as new sci-fi alternate universe?

We're well passed the year 2000, and 1987 BF2K team is for the most part, "dead."   At one time, somewhere around the early 2000 mark of that particular benchmark of a relaunch, powers that be said "dead is dead."  That was then.

I'm not sure where the modern GIJoe product is at as far as new stuff coming or what that will be.   So, left with imagination and time, I was thinking I would throw this idea out there:

A seven-pack of Battle Force 2000 figures for the modern ages.   Except, with a added twists!


Ever see the movie, "universal soldier?"   Yeah, something like that.  Except in the GIJoe universe(s) the scientists that bring our 6 dead Battle Force 2000 soldiers back to life are none other than former scientists that worked with Dr. Mindbender on creating Serpentor.   Only now, they are working with some shady military program, that is planning on using them for secret missions with futuristic sci-fi weaponry and vehicles.  Of course, the scientists and the lot are all up to no good....

In the end, it is up to Dodger to convince his reanimated teammates who they are, what side they are on, and what is really going on.

The figure 7-pack, would feature the figures after they are brought back into the fold of the GIJoe team, and would include a comic with the story of how that plays out.   (Sgt. Savage and the Screaming Eagles would make an appearance in this epic story....)

The 7-pack would essentially allow us to bring the old BF2K into the modern age, but would allow imaginations to push the sci-fi element into its own through potential vehicles and technology that would follow. 

Tomorrow's battle field technology today!       


(Of course, the "Future Fortress," would be something like the 2005 RHINO or ROCC (crossed with the Fort America) where the main vehicle has other smaller mini vehicles to deliver the action.)

A utility truck, what would fit?

My GIJoe motor pool is small now, while the Tomahawk is the core transport/ workhorse vehicle for my team, I was thinking I could use some kind of wheeled ground utility vehicle.

On the ground, I currently have "officially" an AWE striker and a Desert Fox 6WD.  I would like to add in some motorcycles, too, but I kind of want something that is somewhere between the Desert Fox and the old '83 A.P.C.  Something that is a little cargo and utility, but a little bit battle vehicle, too. 

The Hammer (1990)/ Brawler (2001) could be an option, but it is really wide with the side gun platforms, and left a lot of space in the middle inside that wasn't of much use to me.   It had a larger foot print than the Equalizer if I remember right.   Although, I do like that rear sliding trunk compartment.  But, still, it might be just a little too big.  (The actual 'Joe humvees-2004/ 2005 are too realistic for me.)

I mentioned the '83 A.P.C., and in some ways I wish they were making this Coyote.  But, with all the action features (which are cool) it might not have that much extra interactive play space for figures, nor the tighter realistic detailing that kicks it a notch above other toy vehicles sitting in the toy aisle.

I can't think of any wheeled vehicles that would fit what I'm feeling.

I'd like my motor pool to have a size progression from motorcycle, to 2-wheel drive (AWE), to a four-wheel drive (Badger, maybe, too bad THIS wasn't coming...), to a six-wheel drive (FOX), to a four or six-wheel truck that is just bigger than the Desert Fox, but narrower than the Hammer, and shorter than the A.P.C.

The MUV is sort of close in some ways, but the remote control parts and blocky form take away from the detail that I would prefer.  And if it wasn't for the blocky forms, the Splitfire and maybe even the Smokescreen would be good to try, but I am afraid I would want to modify these into something they're not.  If I'm going to start modifying, I think I might consider almost all scratch-built so I have the most possibility of what I want in the end.   But that can get tedious, and I would like to have it be a durable, playable toy after all.

Can you think of any wheeled vehicles that might fit, if this makes sense at all?

No Joes at Fleet Farm toyland

This follows on the heels of my brief trip to the barren retail shelves that had no Joes, no Joes at Fleet Farms Toyland this year.

I suppose I'm not surprised, but I don't think that a Toyland flyer was even put out this year.  I could be wrong, but it seemed like a flyer would get into the house without my effort. 

I will say Toyland had some cheesy military toys available.  The limited articulation army guys style figures were there, but what really made them not interesting were the vehicles and things that were included were scaled for figures half their size (or less).

But, like I say, I'm not surprised, as no one has any Joes on the shelves now. 

Well, my Walmart does, but they are all first wave Rise of Cobra Baroness figures for the most part.

barren retail

Took a trip to our larger city next door, haven't done that in awhile.  In a lot of ways I would have liked to hit up ALL the old spots I'd run through years ago, both retail and thrift, looking at new Joes that might be out there (even when I rarely bought any).  Since it was rainy and more little people were along with me, the outing was a little slower and much shorter than years ago.   We ended up only hitting a pseudo-antique/ flea market type shop and Target on the toy end of things.   I was hoping to at least see some Joe on the Target shelves, but nothing.   Kind of left me bummed, even when I wasn't looking for anything specific.



I was going to stop in at this thrift store ---> (link to craigslist), and I must have passed right by it (no signs).   I don't think I would have bought anything here, something feels like the prices might be up high on these, with small chance of bartering.  (there's one '93 Headhunter on the Terrordrome, too, so there could be a larger range of things here than the photos show.)  NOT that I need to be trying to acquire a Flagg, either, or other things, but there could be a pile of parts and accessories that would be useful to collectors here.  Sometime I'll maybe swing in, but I don't get to the "big city" hardly at all these days. 

This is more by choice, as I remember back years ago, making runs to the Twin Cities for stuff that wasn't there, or back over to this end, especially when I was hunting for the Operation: Crimson Sabotage sets (running over there almost weekly several times, to wait in early morning hours only to find on person bought them all the day before when they arrived).  


But it still just fun to go out and look.  At least I think so.   It's kind of a let-down when the retail spaces are completely empty of GIJoe, though.

Well, I don't need tanks

Initially when I made my motor pools smaller, I was thinking I would do best with one big vehicle per area; I mean, one big tank, one big plane, one big boat, things like that to cover all the "places" that Joes (or bad guys) might go.

But then I thought about the grounding of an imaginative play scenario, like with the X-30 I had kept, it isn't a huge plane, but it is going to need a runway.  It's going to need a support staff and supplies.  And it is pretty much a support vehicle that makes a bomb run, dogfights other planes, or is there simply as a show of force.   And these are all good things, but it does not make for a well-rounded, very-well and very often used vehicle.   Despite being a very cool plane, it kinda ends up sitting on the shelf until being called in/ sent in more than it is used.  In my imagination, I think I have the ability to call in air support help from nearby active air forces. 

The same was kind of happening with the Equalizer for me.   I've thought about if I really need tanks before, and before that.  And so, out goes another vehicle, the Equalizer.  When it comes to a favorite GIJoe tank, yeah, this tank was it.   When I picked out the big "staple" vehicles, the "land, sea, and air" parts of my collection at that time, I had also kept my '83 HQ.  As you likely know, the '83 HQ has a landing pad, a "jeep" bay, and a "tank" bay.  The Equalizer remained as a pick also due to this, as it fit, and in some ways became a part of the HQ behind its armor walls as another weapon to an extent.  But, then I also decided to step away from the "base," it wasn't huge, but it became a target in itself that had a good size to it.  Also, the "tank" is heavy duty, has big ordnance, uses (pretend) fuel, and creates a large target for the enemy.   Not the best thing for my somewhat speedy, somewhat covert team.  Plus, a (supposedly) self sufficient team has got to work harder to drag a tank across the globe......, with the potential to get stuck in the mud.

On one hand, I think it would very fun to get a big tank department, fill the tanks with Joes and have a big battle against a Cobra arsenal.  But in reality, I don't think I'll ever get much time to do all that.   And overall this goes into my reasons for keeping a small collection.   I would like the adventures I have time for fit and be fun with what I have.  I suppose, like the imaginary aircraft I can launch at any time, I can really imagine my GIJoe team (or Cobra) running amid a large tank battle, with tanks all over the place, and my Joes ducking and weaving in an adventure.

That's the kind of imagination, or the pretending, I really had to do back in the day.  

Maybe my imagination is too serious and I've put too much thought into it?  Really, despite my original reasons for keeping the Equalizer in my tiny trimmings, the Equalizer still ended up sitting on a shelf very often.  Either way, we say goodbye to a cool tank and hope it has many adventures at a new base of operations!

However, would an Armadillo be handy to have around......?